- Good breadth of ceramic lettering styles and artists
- Many useful tips
- Logical progression, especially in regards to pottery form and lettering
- Does not discuss lettering on thrown (vertical curved) forms in depth
- Would like further discussion of lettering with lusters and gold leaf
- Would like more historical (especially Islamic) background
- Trade sized paperback, 96 pages, well illustrated with full-color photographs.
- Covers a brief history of lettering on ceramics, tools, materials, methods, and the form of pots as pertains to lettering.
- Gives a range of stylistic alphabets which can be used as presented or modified by the artist.
- Gives examples of 24 artists from across the world who use lettering on their ceramic work.
This slim book is absorbing reading if you are interested in either calligraphy or in ceramic artistic expression. As a source book, it contains straight-forward instruction as well as a real depth in the exploration of how lettering on ceramics can be used.
It is obvious that the author, Mary White, has a wealth of experience and expertise in this area. Even so, White's writing is accessible and she illustrates her points well with appropriate photographs.
My largest disappointment with this book was a lack of information on the rich history of Islamic calligraphy on ceramics. My other disappointment was that White mentioned some areas, such as cold gold leaf, without further explanation. I wish she had expanded that and given more concrete information on the use of lusters in ceramic calligraphy.
